But, as one woman learned this year, they can be successfully deflected.

Writing on Twitter this week, comedian Eliza Skinner shared her mother's apparent resignation to the fact that there might not be any grandchildren on the horizon — and the unexpected hobby that's helping her fill the void.

"My mother has stopped bugging my sister and me about grandchildren, and instead has started knitting capes for her cat," she captioned a photo of her mom's cat, cloaked in a maroon and lavender shawl.

My mother has stopped bugging my sister and me about grandchildren, and instead has started knitting capes for her cat. pic.twitter.com/arQm9Feofo